Finding Relevant Items

Searching for items for your collection? Here are some tips to consider when looking for new books, DVDs, and more.

Date

Consider the age of materials in your Club/AS Group Collections. Do most of them hail from the 1990s? Early 2000s? With older items (book or DVD or article), there is a greater potential that the item has outdated or inaccurate information. Science textbooks are a great example here: A biology text from 1930 certainly will not have the same level of accuracy as one published in 1990. The age of an item is important to consider when purchasing items, as you generally want accurate information.

Type of Materials

What type of materials do you want? It seems an obvious question, but material type is an important component of developing your collection. You can purchase DVDs, books (nonfiction or fiction), graphic novels or narratives, music, and much more. If it meets your group's needs, consider incorporating a wide range of media into your collection. A diverse array of books, films, music, and more can enhance your collection, and subsequently, the experience of any users who access your collection.

Scope of Collection

What is the purpose of your collection? What do you want to collect...and not collect? Asking these questions establish parameters within which you can buy materials that are most relevant to your collection.

Publisher

Consider the publisher of your text. Are they reputable? Do they have a strong background in publishing materials in your subject area? When you look over a text that you're planning to purchase, simply Google the publisher name and find the website. The website will give you a great deal of information about the reliability and credibitability of this publisher.

Who, What, When & Where?

Once you have a list of items you'd like to purchase for your collection, what's next?